Always Better

My alma mater’s mantra was “Meliora.” It was Latin for “Always Better.” As I have journeyed through business and life, I can see the sharp contrast in people. Most people are about “Good Enough” or “What’s In It For Me.” The result is a life of missed opportunity. In my own life, I have experienced the success and rewards of this one principle by focusing on constant growth and delivering more than expected to people I serve.

Napoleon Hill said, “It [The Extra Mile] is a state of mind that you must develop, so that it is a part of everything you do.” Henry Ford understood this principle in his own success journey by saying, “The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar instead of how little he can give for a dollar is bound to succeed.” As a business coach and speaker, I work with people to help them unlock this one principle which will grow the number of referrals they receive. Why don’t people do this naturally? Here are the reasons:

1. Near-sightedness: They can only focus on their paycheck, commission or sale rather than infusing as much value as possible into their work for their customer or employer.
   
   
2. Laziness. A habit has taken root in a person’s life. They do not work hard. They look for the easy way. They are not consumed with excellence. As Thomas Edison stated, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”.
   
   
3. Selfishness. There is little or no thought about the impact of going the extra mile for the customer or employer. The thought is about how it inconveniences them or makes them feel..
   
   
4. Ignorance. There is not a connection between how much money has been collected and how much value has been given. This is akin to number 3. The person is not thinking with a whole perspective.

If comfort is your chief aim, then the extra mile thinking you need to succeed will never take root in your life. It is not a weed that can survive in the shallowest of soils. The mindset has to be a pursuit that permeates every aspect of activity and interaction in your life to be real. Here are three things that can drive this principle deeper into the soil of your business and life.

1. Ask the right question. Be your own employer and ask whether you brought overwhelming value for every dollar you collected from your customer or employer..
   
   
2. Seek purpose rather than payment. Purpose is push power. It helps you get out of bed in the morning and work with passion. Payment is pull power. It lacks the connection with the deeper meaning you need to sustain excellence in all you do..
   
   
3. Burst your bubble. You are a consumer also. When you are selling or making money, think like your consumer. Get out of the bubble you are in and see it completely from the customer or employer’s point of view. Would they be wowed by extra effort? What would kindness and care do for them?

How much can you give for a dollar? In an economy where everything becomes commoditized, the person who raises their value by going the extra mile will win. They will stand out in crowded marketplaces and sought out in a sea of mediocrity. Your mindset will either hide or open that reality for you.